We should be ashamed over Ireland’s failure to act on climate change

In Ireland we are climate hypocrites, you see. How else can you explain the fact that the number of retro-fitting projects aimed at saving energy halved in the last three years? And the fact that Rabbitte has just pushed back new energy efficiency regulations for new buildings until far-off 2020?

All eyes in the hall that housed the UN Climate Change Conference in Warsaw were on the Filipino delegate, Jeb Sano as he vowed to go on hunger strike until the 200 nations represented knocked their heads together and came up with “an emergency climate pathway”.

Soft-spoken and gentle, he said he meant no disrespect to the “kind hospitality” shown him by the Poles but he would starve in solidarity with his brother who had no food for three days as he searched through the bodies in his hometown devastated by Typhoon Haiyan.